Junction-box for electric wires.



A PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908.. v L. P. BLIEMBISTER.

JUNCTION BOX FOR ELECTRIC WIRES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Q1) K3 a With eases.

um gm No. 876,619. PATBNTED JAN. 14, 1908.

L. P. BLIEMEISTER.

JUNCTION BOX FOR ELECTRIC WIRES. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 20, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 876,619. PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908.

L. P. BLIEMEISTBR.

JUNCTION BOX FOR ELEOTRIGWIRES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.Fiivrney,

v PATENTED JAN. 14, 1908. L; P. BLIEMBISTBR. JUNCTION BOX POR'ELEGTRIG WIRES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Louis P. BLIEMEISTEB, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'To WILLIAM R.

JESEPH, or BUFFALO, NEW ORK.

mivc'rIoN-Box roia smo'rme wnms.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1'4, 1.90s.

Application filed July 20- 1906-' Serial No. 327058.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS P. BLIEMEISTER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful 'Im rovemen'ts in Junction-Boxes for Electric i res ofe which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relates to junction-boxes for electricwires.

In the wiring of buildings .or other structures, several independent circuits are employed, and these cn'cuits are connected with the main-conductors through the intervention of fuse-plugs. The connections are generally made within a junction-box, or what is sometimes termed a distribution-box. The fire underwriters rules limit the number of lamps on any circuit, and when a four circuit 'unction-box is used and it is desired to insta 1 additional lamps" above the number ermitted on the four circuits, an additional unction-box must be used, or the old box replaced with a larger one in which )rovision is made for additional circuits. This change involves considerable ex ense and labor, and many sizes of junctionoxes mustbe carried in stock to meet the various'requirer These unctlon-boxes are usually ments. rectangular in orm and provided w th a cover; the ends having 0 enings for the main conductors, and the si es having openings for the independent circuit-wlres. The usual way of connecting the independent circuit wires with the main-conductors is bv means of fuse-blocks secured to, the rear-we l of the junction-box; the latter being embedded in a wall of a building. i I

The primary object of my invention is the production of an expansible junction-box to permit of enlarging upon the number of in-' dependent circuits in use at anytime desired.

Another object is to construct the body oi the box in two telescoping parts so that the openings for the independent circuit-wires in said two parts register when the box is contracted, and when expanded to enlarge upon the number of independent circuits, the end openings in the sides of each part of the box are moved out of registration with the o eni s in the other part-of the box.

Stiil fui tier objects are, the productionof an expansible junction-box com rising an expansible body and an expansible cover hinged to the body and connected with the latter so that on expanding or contracting thebody, the cover is likewise expanded or contracted; to rovide a junction-box having the free edge oi the side and end walls of\ the body thereof bent to the form of a channel 0 ening'toward the rear of. the box and the ,e ges of its cover also bent to the form of a channel opening against the outer surface of the sides and ends of the body; to provide a box of simple and inexpensive construction;

and to otherwise improve on junction-boxes thebody of the box in contracted condition.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the body of the box partly expanded. Fig. 4 is a pers ective view of one art or section of the ox with the sides an end thereof formed to ac-.

curate shape and about to be bent into prriper position for connection at the corners. 1g.

5 is a detached perspective view of the cover. I Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the box,

the cover being closed. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line zz, Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, corresponding numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts in the several figures.

The reference numeral 1 designates the body of the junction-box and 2' the cover thereof.

rear wall 3, side walls 4 and end walls 5.

Fuse blocks 6 are secured to the rear wall of the box and electrically connected to the said blocks are the main conductors 7 which pass through the box and through conduits 8 whose ends are threaded and extend through openings 9 in the end walls of.the box; said conduits ,having nuts 10 threaded thereon which bear against opposite sides of the end walls and serveato secure the conduits to said walls.

The body of the box consists of two parts The body of the box comprises a or sections 11 and 12; section 11 being of less depth and width than section 12 so as to fit sn'ugly within the same. Each section comprises a rear wall 13, a single end wall 14 and side walls 15; said end wall and side walls having their outer free edges bent to channel-shape, as at 16; the channel of sec tion 11 fitting snugly within the channel of section 12. i In this manner a stiff and durable 'constructionis obtained, which assures free action in expanding or contracting the box.

Each of the sections 11, 12, is constructed of-a single sheet of metal, bent to form the end-wall 14 and the side-walls 15 the latter having each an inwardly directed extension 17 lying against the inner side of the end wall, and a cut-away portion 18 at the ends thereof forming the corner ofthe box, while the ends of the end-wall. have extensions 19 bent against the outer sides of the sidewalls and being of sufficient width to cover the cutaway portions 18, and outstanding securingears 20 formed integrallv with extensions 19 and originally filling the space formed by the cut-away portions of the side-walls.

The rear wall of each section has screwholes 21 and the side walls have openings 22 into which are secured conduits 23 having their threaded inner ends passing through said openings and nuts 24 applied thereto. which bear on opposite sides of the side walls and serve to secure said conduits to the box. Independent circuit-wires 25 pass through said conduits and have their inner terminals secured to the fuse-blocks. The connection of the independent circuit-wires to the main conductors is made through the intervention of the fuse-blocl s which is common to those skilled in the art, and requires no detail illustration or further description.

NVhen the box is contracted, as shown in F ig. 2, the independent circuit-wire openings 22 register, and when in this condition the conduits 23 pass through two thicknesses of metal. The screw-holes 21 formed in the rear wall of each section also register, and passed through the same are the securingscrews 26 by means of which the fuse-blocks are secured within the box.

As shown in Fig. 3, the box is expanded to increase the number of independent circuits, and when in this position, the openings in the side walls of the sections nearest the corners thereof are moved out of registration, while the two remaining openings of each section are brought into registration with different openings of the other section. The

box may be further expanded to increase the number of side openings. The cover 2 is formed of tw sections 27, each having its marginal portions at the sides and one end bent upon itself to form channels 28 which open inward against the sides and ends of the body of the box, as shown in Fig. 6. One section of the cover is of slightly smaller width than the other and the channel is of less width than that of the other section, so as to fit snugly but slidably within said other section. The wide section of the cover is hing d to the outer or largesection of the body, as at 29, while the narrow section of the cover is hinged to the inner or small section of the body, as at 30. Therefore, when expanding the body of the box, the cover is also expanded, each section of the cover retaining its hinged relation with the corresponding section of the body.

Many changes in construction and minor details of arrangement of the several parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof; it being understood that the claims appended hereto are to be given the broadest construction permissibleby the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,

- 1. A junction-box forelectric-wires constructed of metal and comprising a body-por.

tion having the upper edgeof its side and end walls bent inward and rearward to form a rearwardly opening channel, and a cover having its marginal portion bent rearward and inward to fornd an inwardly opening channel- 2. A junction-box for electric-Wires con' sisting of telescoping-sections having one or more walls thereof provided with openings for the circuit wires, said sections being movable with reference to each other to bring part or all of the openings of both sections into registration or to move the same out of registration.

3. A junction-box for electric-wires con' sisting of a body-portion having telescoping sections provided in the side walls thereof with openings and having in the'rear walls thereof screw-holes, said sections beingmovable with reference to each other to bring all or part of said openings and screw-holes of one section into registration with the openings and screw-holes of the other section.

4. A junction-box for electric-wires comprising a telescoping-body portion and a telescoping-cover, said body-portion having openings for the introduction of circuit wires.

5. A junction-box for electric-wires comprising a telescoping-body having two sections fitting onev within the other, each section having openings forthe introduction of wires, and the openings of one section being brought into or moved out of registration with the openings'in the other section when contracting orexpanding the box, and a telescoping cover having two sections, each section of the cover being hinged to the corresponding section of the body.

6. A junction-box formed of two sections fitting one within the other to permit of contraoting or expandin the box, each section comprising a rear wal a single end wall having inwardly directed extensions lying against outer sides of the side walls, and side walls having each an inwardly directed extension lying against the inner side of the end wall, the side walls of said sections having opening sectlons, each comprising a rear wall, an

end wall having'its upper edge bent inward and rearward to form rearwardlyopening channels,side walls having their upper edges also bent inward and rearward to form rear, wardlyopening channels fitting one within.

the other; the side walls of-each section hav ing openings for the introduction of circuitwires, all or part of the openings of one section being moved into or out of registration with the openings of the other section.

8. A box of the kind described, comprising two open-ended members-having open tops, these members bein arranged to telescope, means for securing t egnembers to a struclnlgs for the introduction of circuitw1res,

ture and each member having alined per-i forations, the extended box being adaptedto hold two switches and the ing passages for the conduits of each switch, and the perforations all beingin axial alinement when the members are slid together to hold one switch, passage thereby being furnished for one pair of conduits.

9. A box of the kind described, comprising a 1pair of open-ended members arranged to to e erforations f0rm scope onewithin the other, and having a perforation in each of the opposed walls of the members, the perforations being arranged to be in axial alinement when the members are slid together.

Intestimony'whereof, I have affixed my signature in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS P. BLIEMEISTER.

Witnesses:

HARRY HARRIS, EMIL NEUHART. 

